2017 BMW 5 Series officially unveiled

Sagar BhanushaliThursday 13 October 2016, 11:14 AM

The current generation 5 Series may not be the absolute pick of its class owing to its age, however, all that is set to change with the seventh generation model that has just been officially unveiled. Labelled as the 2017 5 Series, this new car betters its predecessor in many ways.

Starting with the dimensions, the exterior of the new 5 is slightly larger than that of its predecessor. The new model is 36mm longer, 6mm wider and 2mm taller than the old car. Its wheelbase measures 2.975mm, up by 7mm.

Design wise, you get the familiar BMW kidney grille which is flanked by twin circular headlights. The glass headlight covers now connect seamlessly with the kidney grille, emphasising the car's width. On the sides, the passenger cell is set back while a short front overhang underscores the car’s sporty appearance. The rear lights, meanwhile, reach deep into the sides of the car, creating a visual connection between its flanks and rear end. Other defining elements of the rear end include the exhaust tailpipes, which are now arranged symmetrically on both sides on all model variants. Depending on the engine and equipment package specified, the tailpipes will be circular, trapezoidal or rectangular and in a quartet.

The 7 Series-inspired interior is not only all-new but also houses radical features such as contact sensors for seat controls, gesture controls, upgraded iDrive, multicolour head-up display, ambient lighting and lots more.

Underneath the all-new body shell, the 5 Series benefits from an improved, lightweight chassis. As a result, it’s as much as 100kg lighter than the old car. The new car also retains the crucial 50:50 weight distribution. In terms of engines, there is a wide variety of petrol, diesel as well as plug-in hybrid models with four and six cylinder engine configurations. The India-spec model will come in 520d and 530d guise while the petrol line-up is likely to consist of 520i based trims. There will of course be the fire-breathing M5, too, complete with a twin-turbocharged V8 motor and all-wheel drive (for some markets).

The 2017 5 Series will go on sale globally next year and compete with the thoroughly modern Mercedes E-Class and the Jaguar XF.